Consumers enter their car registration and post code and receive real time quotes from local garages as well as consumer reviews.

They can then make their booking online instantly and don’t pay until the work is done.

The business has 8,100 garages listed on its books and expects to increase this number through the funding initiative.

With 25,000 garages serving over 30million cars in the UK – of which 27million require an MOT – and first mover advantage, the scope for growth is “huge” said chief executive Douglas Rothberg.

“The opportunity for garage owners to invest in our business underlines the ethos which makes us distinct from other online servicing comparison sites.

“We champion the garage owners. They’ve told us that they want to hold onto their own customers, not have customers sold back to them by a third party, so that’s what our offering allows them to do.

“This is about more than just generating incremental business - it’s also a chance for garage owners to take control at a time when some internet businesses are distancing garages from their customers.

“The crowdfunding campaign underlines how we want to help the garage owners to take control - by owning not just their own businesses but also a stake in a major player revolutionising a sector worth £13.5 billion.”

Rotberg built and exited Auto-Online, Carsite and Tesco Cars.

Garages can sign up with BookMyGarage on a subscription basis, with the full package costing £170 per month.

Users have experienced increases in booking conversion rates of up to 130% said Rotberg.

The crowdfunding campaign is aiming to raise £600,000 to help recruit additional digital managers in the field in order to support and attract more garages.

Jeremy has been a journalist for 30 years, 20 of which have been in business-to-business automotive. He was a writer and new editor on AM-sister brand Fleet News for three years before setting up the AM website. For the last five years has been Bauer B2B’s head of digital helping to manage the digital assets of AM, together with Fleet News, Commercial Fleet and Rail.